# US 10,313,292 B2 · Methods and systems for connecting messaging accounts

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- Number: US 10,313,292 B2
- Document ID: US10313292B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/216,372
- Filed: 2016-07-21
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21
- Assignees: Facebook, Inc.
- Applicants: Facebook, Inc.
- Inventors: Akhil Nambiar; Kunal Nikhil Modi; Brian Kimball
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10313292B2

## CPC

- H04L 51/226: Delivery according to priorities
- H04L 51/043: using or handling presence information
- H04L 51/224: providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
- H04L 51/52: for supporting social networking services
- H04L 67/54: Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
- H04L 67/55: Push-based network services
- H04W 4/21: for social networking applications
- H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

Exemplary embodiments relate to techniques for notifying existing users when a new user joins a messaging service (or returns from a period of inactivity). A top n number of existing users acquainted with the new user may be selected and may be encouraged to message the new user. The existing users may be selected using a messaging coefficient that indicates a likelihood that a message will result in a meaningful conversation, and a number of other factors that prevent the existing users from becoming inundated with notifications. The number n may be selected based on an amount of display space available to the new user in a messaging application. When inviting the existing users to contact the new user, a new thread may be automatically created and bumped to the top of the new user's thread list.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving an indication from a messaging client that a first account associated with a messaging service has recently been activated;
identifying existing accounts associated with the messaging service;
selecting, based at least in part on a messaging coefficient that indicates a likelihood that a message will result in a meaningful conversation, a number of prioritized accounts from the existing accounts;
creating, for each of the selected prioritized accounts, a blank messaging thread for communications between the respective prioritized account and the first account;
elevating a priority of the created messaging threads, the elevated priority causing the messaging threads for the selected prioritized accounts to appear before non-prioritized account threads in the messaging client; and
sending a notification to the prioritized accounts that the first account has recently been activated.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the indication indicates that the account has recently been created or has recently returned from a period of inactivity greater than a predetermined threshold amount of time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the number of prioritized accounts is selected based at least in part on an amount of display space available to new user on the messaging client to accommodate messages from the prioritized accounts.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritized account is selected when a metric indicating that the prioritized account has not yet received a predetermined number of message requests over a predetermined time period.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging coefficient is determined based on an association between the first user and the existing user in a social networking service associated with the messaging service.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein sending the notification to the prioritized accounts comprises prioritizing the notification over other messages for the prioritized accounts.

### Claim 7

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
receive an indication from a messaging client that a first account associated with a messaging service has recently been activated;
identify existing accounts associated with the messaging service;
select, based at least in part on a messaging coefficient that indicates a likelihood that a message will result in a meaningful conversation, a number of prioritized accounts from the existing accounts;
create, for each of the selected prioritized accounts, a blank messaging thread for communications between the respective prioritized account and the first account;
elevate a priority of the created messaging threads, the elevated priority causing the messaging threads for the selected prioritized accounts to appear before non-prioritized account threads in the messaging client; and
send a notification to the prioritized accounts that the first account has recently been activated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The medium of claim 7, wherein the indication indicates that the account has recently been created or has recently returned from a period of inactivity greater than a predetermined threshold amount of time.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The medium of claim 7, wherein the number of prioritized accounts is selected based at least in part on an amount of display space available to new user on the messaging client to accommodate messages from the prioritized accounts.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The medium of claim 7, wherein the prioritized account is selected when a metric indicating that the prioritized account has not yet received a predetermined number of message requests over a predetermined time period.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The medium of claim 7, wherein the messaging coefficient is determined based on an association between the first user and the existing user in a social networking service associated with the messaging service.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The medium of claim 7, wherein sending the notification to the prioritized accounts comprises prioritizing the notification over other messages for the prioritized accounts.

### Claim 13

An apparatus comprising:
a network receiver configured to receive an indication from a messaging client that a first account associated with a messaging service has recently been activated;
a processor component configured to identify existing accounts associated with the messaging service, to select, based at least in part on a messaging coefficient that indicates a likelihood that a message will result in a meaningful conversation, a number of prioritized accounts from the existing accounts, to create, for each of the selected prioritized accounts, a blank messaging thread for communications between the respective prioritized account and the first account, and to elevate a priority of the created messaging threads, the elevated priority causing the messaging threads for the selected prioritized accounts to appear before non-prioritized account threads in the messaging client; and
a network transmitter configured to send a notification to the prioritized accounts that the first account has recently been activated.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the number of prioritized accounts is selected based at least in part on an amount of display space available to new user on the messaging client to accommodate messages from the prioritized accounts.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the prioritized account is selected when a metric indicating that the existing account has not yet received a predetermined number of message requests over a predetermined time period.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the messaging coefficient is determined based on an association between the first user and the existing user in a social networking service associated with the messaging service.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13, wherein sending the notification to the prioritized accounts comprises prioritizing the notification over other messages for the prioritized accounts.